Experiencing

How to spell experiencing

12 letters · 5 syllables

How to pronounce experiencing

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does experiencing mean?

1. verbUndergoing, feeling, or living through an event, sensation, or condition.

Experiencing in a sentence

• The region is currently experiencing a severe drought.

• Many travellers report experiencing delays at the airport this week.

Where does experiencing come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin verb experiri, meaning 'to try out' or 'to put to the test', which was built from the prefix ex- 'out' and a root peri- connected to trial and risk. That same risky root survives in the English word 'peril', a reminder that early experience was about hazardous testing rather than gentle observation. The noun experientia, meaning 'a trial' or 'knowledge gained by repeated attempts', passed into Old French as experience and arrived in English during the 1300s. The verb sense, 'to undergo or feel something', developed later, and the present participle 'experiencing' simply adds the -ing ending. The spelling trap lives in the middle: writers often drop the silent i in -ience, but it has been there since the Latin experientia, so picturing 'experi-ENCE' before adding -ing keeps it intact.

How the word is built

• ex- (out, from)
• peri (try, test; related to peril)
• -ence (state)
• -ing (present participle)